I called visual apex earlier today and asked them about 3D glasses. The refurbs do not come with any. A new 5030 would come with 2 pairs of rf glasses. Those are about 85-100 dollars each so I consider their price of the 5020 refurb to be 1900+200 = 2100. It's still a 500 dollar difference which IMO is a considerable difference.

I am also kind of considering that mitsu 7900 that getting talked about quite a bit. At 1000 bucks, very tempting. I think the epson is a better projector, especially with brighter 3D modes.

I'm currently using a optoma gt750, which has been described as a light canon and I find 3D on it to be a little dim. But I also calibrated the projector which really cut into my lumens a LOT. I think I'm going to go with the 5020 cause dim 3D just sucks, especially when watching outdoor scenes and the sky just looks overcast the whole time.

If I didn't care so much about 3D....the mitsu would've already been ordered though.

I think the samsung 4100's work with the epson, not sure about the 5100 but at 20 bucks a pair not a bad deal.

This isn't good for me. I'm supposed to wait towards the END of my build to purchase the PJ.

Hey, I'm supposed to finish the rest of the house before messing with the basement but damnit I can't wait. I have a gt750 that I have used the past 2 years in my apartment and not having a 100+ in screen somewhere in this house is making me nuts.

I've been going back and forth on the refurb 5020, a new 5020ube at 2400, or the 5030 at 2600. First I'm leaning towards the 5020ub refurb, then I start thinking that the 5020ube with wireless hdmi would be nice and it comes with 2 pairs of glasses which puts a decent dent into the savings on the refurb. But then I start thinking that heck, for another 200 more I can get the improved 5030.....but then I'm close to the sony hw50es etc etc etc. Watch me sell my house and end up with a runco. Then I look at the sony hw55es and realize that I've rationalized an extra 2K in 100 dollar increments.

Would a demo 6020 with <800 hours on current bulb, spare bulb, full 3 yr warranty, mount, etc. be a good deal for $2400?

I believe that the 6020 is the installer version of the 5020. Mounts are pretty cheap at monoprice so it comes down to warranty and bulb. A bulb is probably around 300 so at 1900, the refurb 5020 would still be a little bit cheaper unless that 6020 comes with glasses. In this case, I'd opt for the refurb 5020, I'd rather have a refurb from authorized dealer because it's coming from epson. They have gone over the projector and tested it and fixed it. You have no idea what people were doing to the demo model, touching the lens, poking at it. The machine might say 800 hours on the bulb, but you have no way of knowing (usually you can reset the hours...and some customer might have done this while playing around on the floor and the store would have no idea). Also the brightness has probably been cranked up to deal with the stores ambient lighting.

If the savings were bigger maybe, but I think the 5020 refurb at 1900 is a better deal than the floor demo at 2400. Are you sure you get the whole 3 yr warranty? I'm wondering if the warranty period started when the retailer put it on the floor? I really have no idea how they sell these at near 3500 bucks, I'd be going for a sony hw50es all day over the 6020 at that price. Really epson, 1 yr warranty, a black case, a mount, and spare bulb is worth a 1K price difference?

The price is close enough though that for me, it comes down to getting a refurb that has been thoroughly tested at epson and a demo off the floor that I have no idea about. But ask if you get the 2 pairs of glasses with that 6020 deal. If so it's the same price as the 5020-refurb. 1900 for pj, + 200 for glass, + 300 for bulb = 2400

It comes with 2 pair of glasses. I'm not worried about somebody messing with the hours and I doubt the dealer would do it. It is not that type of place where people roam freely and check things out. It is in a room where it is demoed by the sales staff and it is mounted in a projector alcove. It is controlled by one of their touch screens. It would not be easy to get at and the remote is not available. It has also been calibrated and looks fantastic but they did say the calibration should be redone for my room and screen. The calibration would be extra if I opt for that. It is more of specialty shop, not a Best Buy type of place. It is from an Epson dealer and comes with the 3 year warranty where the 5020/5030 is only 2 year. The mount is a Chief mount. I'm not sure if I'm going to use the mount as I might just put it on a shelf but the mount is part of the bundle. I could see if they will give some credit for it.

They said they are just going to put up one of the newer projectors in its place as it is that time of year that most new models are coming out and they change out equipment. I tend to believe them on that and they have a good reputation.

It comes with 2 pair of glasses. I'm not worried about somebody messing with the hours and I doubt the dealer would do it. It is not that type of place where people roam freely and check things out. It is in a room where it is demoed by the sales staff and it is mounted in a projector alcove. It is controlled by one of their touch screens. It would not be easy to get at and the remote is not available. It has also been calibrated and looks fantastic but they did say the calibration should be redone for my room and screen. The calibration would be extra if I opt for that. It is more of specialty shop, not a Best Buy type of place. It is from an Epson dealer and comes with the 3 year warranty where the 5020/5030 is only 2 year. The mount is a Chief mount. I'm not sure if I'm going to use the mount as I might just put it on a shelf but the mount is part of the bundle. I could see if they will give some credit for it.

They said they are just going to put up one of the newer projectors in its place as it is that time of year that most new models are coming out and they change out equipment. I tend to believe them on that and they have a good reputation.

Nice. So then yeah it's about the same deal as a refurb 5020 with an extra year of warranty. Although with the 5020 refurb I think they put in a new bulb whereas with the demo unit you're down about 800 hours. I think epson is rated at 4-5k hours so that 800 is about 20% of the lifetime so if a bulb is 300 bucks, the usage on that bulb represents about 60 dollars. I'd probably get your deal just to get the black projector instead of the white, also it's nice to walk into a shop and just buy something. I would probably try to get them to throw in some extras or something, try to weasel an extra pair of glasses, or a cable or something. I would mention to them that I can get a factory refurb 5020 for the same amount with a new bulb and I think the shipping is free and no sales tax.

B-stock is typically a customer returned projector which they couldn't afford or just didn't want. Maybe zero lamp hours, maybe just a dozen or so lamp hours. It may also mean a piece of 'demo' gear which may have a few more hours on the lamp, but often may have been used for just a few dozen hours by the company itself.

For example, I bought a b-stock Panasonic AE1000 projector a few years ago for $300. It has 68 hours on the lamp and I had to fix the lens shift mechanism on it (30 minutes). I then used it for several years without any issues at all.

Refurbished typically means that the projector went in for repair, and was likely replaced by the manufacturer with another model to the customer. The projector was repaired entirely to the best of their knowledge, it was tested, and seems to work great. It has a brand new lamp installed in it. So, refurbished product typically has zero lamp hours.

Both refurbished and b-stock may carry a full manufacturer's warranty, but this is a key point as it also may NOT. So, check carefully on the warranty period you will get on refurbished or b-stock merchandise.